2014 World Cup
Brazil |dates=13/06/14 - 13/07/14 |teams=32 (from 6 confederations) |venues=12 (in 12 different cities) |champions= Germany (4th Title) |runners_up= France |third_place= Brazil |fourth_place= Ghana |matches_played=64 |best_player= Jonathan Biabiany |top_scorer= David Villa |best_keeper= Hugo Lloris |best_young= Iker Muniain }} The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that will take place in Brazil from June 13th to July 13th 2014. This will be the second time the country has hosted the competition, the first being the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Brazil will become the fifth country to have hosted the FIFA World Cup twice, after Mexico, Italy, France and Germany. It will be the first World Cup to be held in South America since the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina, the first time two consecutive World Cups are staged outside Europe and the first time two consecutive World Cups are staged in the Southern Hemisphere (the 2010 FIFA World Cup was held in South Africa). Host Selection On 7 March 2003, FIFA announced that the tournament would be held in South America for the first time since Argentina hosted the competition in 1978, in line with its policy of rotating the right to host the World Cup amongst different confederations. On 3 June 2003, CONMEBOL announced that Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia wanted to host the 2014 World Cup finals.2 By 17 March 2004, the CONMEBOL associations had voted unanimously to adopt Brazil as their sole candidate. Brazil formally declared its candidacy in December 2006 and Colombia followed a few days later. The Argentina bid never materialized. On 11 April 2007, Colombia officially withdrew its bid, Francisco Santos Calderón the vice president of Colombia announced that instead Colombia would be hosting the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. With this development, Brazil became the only official candidate to host the 2014 event. Brazil won the right to host the event on 30 October 2007 as the only country to enter a bid. Qualification The qualification draw for the 2014 World Cup was held at the Marina da Glória in Rio de Janeiro on 30 July 2011. As the host nation, Brazil qualify automatically for the tournament. On 3 March 2011 FIFA decided to distribute places in the final tournament: The pairings in play-off games will be determined prior to the main draw, taking place on 29 July 2011 in Rio de Janeiro at a press conference following the meeting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Organising Committee. Qualified teams Final draw The FIFA Organising Committee approved the procedure for the final draw on 2 December 2013. The seeding was based on the October 2013 FIFA World Ranking and seven squads joined hosts Brazil as seeded teams for the final draw. No two teams from the same confederation were to be drawn in the same group, except allowing a maximum of two European teams in a group. Pot 1 (Seeds: host & top seven): *Brazil, Spain, England, Portugal, Argentina, Mexico, France, Netherlands. Pot 2: (AFC, CONCACAF & 1 CAF): *Republic of Korea, Japan, United States, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Honduras, Iran, Australia. Pot 3: (CAF & CONMEBOL) *Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador, Uruguay, Senegal, Mali, Morocco, Ivory Coast. Pot 4: (UEFA) *Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Italy, Russia, Ireland, Germany, Croatia. The draw was staged in Brasilia, Brazil, on December 12th, 2013. The ceremony was presented by Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, assisted by FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke. The balls were drawn by Pelé, Zico, Romario and Ronaldo, all of them notorious Brazilian ex-footballers. Referees FIFA's Referees' Committee selected 29 referees through its Refereeing Assistance Programme to officiate at the World Cup: four from the AFC, three from the CAF, six from CONMEBOL, four from CONCACAF, two from the OFC and ten from UEFA. Preview No better way to start getting into the mood for some serious football but the preview and forecast of a World Cup. Favorites The usual pack is divided into two main groups, the real favorites, and the ones you shoudln't forget. The real favorites of this World Cup are two; Spain and Brazil, the first, because it's the world strongest team, and the latter due to its always important status plus the home-field advantage. In the other side, the ones you shouldn't forget, are Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, England and Argentina. Breakthrough Teams There are a couple of National Teams that could give a surprising performance, despite their unrecognized status in the footballing world. Bosnia and Herzegovina is lead by a very good coach, who knows the players, and has individualities that can turn a game upside down. South Korea is also a very good team, with capable players and a tactic system that can complicate every teams' plan. Individual Players *Lionel Messi is the world's best player, and despite that, he never has been able to transmit that into the international play, having always some sort of trouble while playing with the albiceleste jersey. The 26 year-old midfield playmaker from F.C. Barcelona scored 33 times last season, adding 9 assists, with an average rating of 8.31. *Cristiano Ronaldo is the other gem of the tournament. The 29 year-old Real Madrid winger has been in deadly form this season, scoring 28 goals and adding 9 assists, with an average rating of 7.78. *Cesc Fàbregas is the current champion most important player, both in the attacking and defending phases of the game. The F.C. Barcelona central midfielder scored 14 goals last season, and had an average rating of 7.64 *Neymar is Brazil's most dangerous player. The skilled forward, who plays at Santos is a lightning threat, both from the middle of the pitch or from the left flank. Scored 36 goals last season, with a 7.58 average rating. *Giorgio Chiellini is Italy's most trascendental player, the towering center back is as reliable as one can be in defense, and also very dangerous on spot kicks and corners. The Juventus player, scored 3 goals last season, and had an average rating of 7.56. *Edin Dzeko is one of the most surprising players from the last couple of years, his size, and ability make a match difficult to stop. The Manchester City tower, scored 28 goals last season, with a 7.38 average rating. *Frenchmen Hugo Lloris is a certain early candidate for the Golden Glove award. The 27 year-old keeper, who plays for the Olympique Lyonnais conceded 56 goals in 53 matches last season, with 23 clean sheets and an average rating of 7.30. Predictions *Champion: Brazil *Final: Spain vs. Brazil *Golden Ball: Ganso *Top Goalscorer: Pato *Golden Glove: Hugo Lloris *Best Young Player: Neymar *Revelation Team: Bosnia and Herzegovina *Underachievers: Argentina *Revelation Player: Miralem Pjanic Group stage The first round, or group stage, saw the thirty-two teams divided into eight groups of four teams. Each group was a round-robin of six games, where each team played one match against each of the other teams in the same group. Teams were awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and none for a defeat. The teams finishing first and second in each group qualified for the Round of 16. : Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H Tie-breaking criteria Teams were ranked on the following criteria: :1. Greater number of points in all group matches :2. Goal difference in all group matches :3. Greater number of goals scored in all group matches :4. Greatest number of points in matches between teams :5. Goal difference in matches between teams :6. Greatest number of goals scored in matches between teams :7. Drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee Knockout Stage The knockout stage comprised the sixteen teams that advanced from the group stage of the tournament. There were four rounds of matches, with each round eliminating half of the teams entering that round. The successive rounds were the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. There was also a play-off to decide third and fourth place. For each game in the knockout stage, any draw at 90 minutes was followed by thirty minutes of extra time; if scores were still level, there was a penalty shootout to determine who progressed to the next round. Chile |RD1-score01 = 1 (5) |RD1-seed02 = 1°A |RD1-team02 = Brazil |RD1-score02 = 1 (6) |RD2-seed01 = 1°A |RD2-team01 = Brazil |RD2-score01 = 1 (4) |RD2-seed02 = 2°C |RD2-team02 = Uruguay |RD2-score02 = 1 (2) |RD1-seed03 = 2°C |RD1-team03 = Uruguay |RD1-score03 = 6 |RD1-seed04 = 1°D |RD1-team04 = Paraguay |RD1-score04 = 0 |RD3-seed01 = 1°A |RD3-team01 = Brazil |RD3-score01 = 0 |RD3-seed02 = 1°G |RD3-team02 = Germany |RD3-score02 = 2 |RD1-seed05 = 2°E |RD1-team05 = Russia |RD1-score05 = 2 |RD1-seed06 = 1°F |RD1-team06 = Morocco |RD1-score06 = 1 |RD2-seed03 = 2°E |RD2-team03 = Russia |RD2-score03 = 0 |RD2-seed04 = 1°G |RD2-team04 = Germany |RD2-score04 = 2 |RD1-seed07 = 2°H |RD1-team07 = Croatia |RD1-score07 = 0 |RD1-seed08 = 1°G |RD1-team08 = Germany |RD1-score08 = 1 |RD4-seed01 = 1°G |RD4-team01 = Germany |RD4-score01 = 1 (3) |RD4-seed02 = 2°G |RD4-team02 = France |RD4-score02 = 1 (0) |RD1-seed09 = 1°B |RD1-team09 = Ghana |RD1-score09 = 5 |RD1-seed10 = 2°A |RD1-team10 = Senegal |RD1-score10 = 0 |RD2-seed05 = 1°B |RD2-team05 = Ghana |RD2-score05 = 4 |RD2-seed06 = 2°D |RD2-team06 = Portugal |RD2-score06 = 0 |RD1-seed11 = 1°C |RD1-team11 = Bosnia |RD1-score11 = 4 (2) |RD1-seed12 = 2°D |RD1-team12 = Portugal |RD1-score12 = 4 (4) |RD3-seed03 = 1°B |RD3-team03 = Ghana |RD3-score03 = 0 (2) |RD3-seed04 = 2°G |RD3-team04 = France |RD3-score04 = 0 (4) |RD1-seed13 = 1°E |RD1-team13 = Spain |RD1-score13 = 2 |RD1-seed14 = 2°F |RD1-team14 = England |RD1-score14 = 1 |RD2-seed07 = 1°E |RD2-team07 = Spain |RD2-score07 = 2 |RD2-seed08 = 2°G |RD2-team08 = France |RD2-score08 = 3 |RD1-seed15 = 1°H |RD1-team15 = Argentina |RD1-score15 = 0 |RD1-seed16 = 2°G |RD1-team16 = France |RD1-score16 = 1}} Round of 16 The 8 matches of the Second Round were played between June 28th and July 1st in 8 different venues. Chile | score = 1 - 1 | aet = Yes | report = | squad = | team2 = Brazil | goals1 = H.Martínez O.González | goals2 = Neymar | stadium = Estádio Castelão, São Luís, MA, Brazil | attendance = 75,263 | referee = Oscar Ruiz (Colombia) | penalties1 = Vidal Morales Isla M.García Jiménez Contreras Jara Medel | penaltyscore = 5 - 6 | penalties2 = Kaká Thiago Silva Alves Ramires Pato Ganso David Luiz Fábio }} ---- Senegal | score = 0 - 5 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Ghana | goals1 = | goals2 = Essien Kofi Agyei Gyan Adiyiah | stadium = Morumbi, São Paulo, SP, Brazil | attendance = 73,500 | referee = Felix Byrch (Germany) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Uruguay | score = 6 - 0 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Paraguay | goals1 = Cavani M.Pereira Arismendi A.Pereira | goals2 = | stadium = Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil | attendance = 76,525 | referee = Babak Rafati (Germany) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Bosnia and Herzegovina | score = 4 - 4 | aet = Yes | report = | squad = | team2 = Portugal | goals1 = Ibisevic Dzeko Vranjes | goals2 = Orlando Sá Cristiano Ronaldo | stadium = Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil | attendance = 69,950 | referee = Manuel Gräfe (Germany) | penalties1 = Subasic Ibisevic Zec Begovic | penaltyscore = 2 - 4 | penalties2 = Cristiano Ronaldo Ricardo Costa Veloso Moutinho Meireles }} ---- Russia | score = 2 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Morocco | goals1 = Kerzhakov Berezutskiy | goals2 = Chamakh Hermach | stadium = Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil | attendance = 62,000 | referee = Darrell Reed (England) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Spain | score = 2 - 1 | aet = Yes | report = | squad = | team2 = England | goals1 = Pedro Negredo | goals2 = Chamberlain | stadium = Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, BA, Brazil | attendance = 50,443 | referee = Tobias Doll (Germany) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Argentina | score = 0 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = France | goals1 = | goals2 = Gameiro | stadium = Arena Gremio, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil | attendance = 52,500 | referee = Claudio Circhetta (Switzerland) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Croatia | score = 0 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Germany | goals1 = | goals2 = Gómez | stadium = Serra Dourada, Goiânia, GO, Brazil | attendance = 54,049 | referee = Iker Arias (Spain) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} Quarter-Finals The Quarter-Finals were played 4th and 5th of July, in 4 different venues. Ghana | score = 4 - 0 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Portugal | goals1 = Ayew Gyan Muntari Boateng | goals2 = | stadium = Castelão, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil | attendance = 66,700 | referee = Mark Clattenburg (England) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Brazil | score = 1 - 1 | aet = Yes | report = | squad = | team2 = Uruguay | goals1 = Kaká | goals2 = Lodeiro Fucile | stadium = Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil | attendance = 76,525 | referee = Martin Atkinson (England) | penalties1 = Thiago Silva Alves Ganso Kaká Renato Augusto | penaltyscore = 4 - 2 | penalties2 = Suárez Godín Gargano Cavani }} ---- Russia | score = 0 - 2 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Germany | goals1 = | goals2 = Rolfes Yesil | stadium = Estádio Nacional de Brasília, Brasilia, DF, Brazil | attendance = 71,000 | referee = Rafael Ilyasov (Uzbekistan) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Spain | score = 2 - 3 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = France | goals1 = Mata Villa | goals2 = Benzema Sakho | stadium = Estádio Castelão, São Luís, MA, Brazil | attendance = 75,263 | referee = Nathan Ryan (England) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} Semi-Finals The Semi-Finals were played on 8th and 9th of July, in Rio de Janeiro and São Luís. Brazil | score = 0 - 2 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Germany | goals1 = | goals2 = Schweinsteiger Rolfes | stadium = Estádio Castelão, São Luís, MA, Brazil | attendance = 75,263 | referee = Morgan Hunt (England) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Ghana | score = 0 - 0 | aet = Yes | report = | squad = | team2 = France | goals1 = Muntari | goals2 = | stadium = Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil | attendance = 76,525 | referee = Antonio Damato (Italy) | penalties1 = Gyan Essien Amoah Asare | penaltyscore = 2 - 4 | penalties2 = Gourcouff Toulalan Sissoko Jallet Benzema }} Third-Place Play-off The third place play-off match was played July 12th in Estádio Castelão, São Luís, and it featured the local team Brazil and the surprise Ghana. Brazil | score = 3 - 0 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Ghana | goals1 = Hulk Kaká Maicon | goals2 = | stadium = Estádio Castelão, São Luís, MA, Brazil | attendance = 75,263 | referee = Ivan Bebek (Croatia) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} Final The Final was played July 13th, 2014 in Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, and it featured Germany and France. This marked a specific landmark, as for the first time, since more than 16 teams participate in the Cup, two teams that had been drawed in the same Group, play in the Final. Germany | score = 1 - 1 | aet = Yes | report = | squad = | team2 = France | goals1 = Rolfes Yesil | goals2 = Gameiro | stadium = Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil | attendance = 76,525 | referee = Massimo Busacca (Switzerland) | penalties1 = Rolfes Kießling Schweinsteiger | penaltyscore = 3 - 0 | penalties2 = Benzema Jallet Toulalan }} Awards Golden Ball Golden Boot # David Villa - 8 goals in 5 matches # Karim Benzema - 7 goals in 7 matches # Edin Dzeko - 6 goals in 3 matches Golden Glove Hugo Lloris - 4 conceded in 7 matches Best Young Player Iker Muniain All-Star Team